Skirt-former.



'PATENTED NOV. 24, 1903.

S. STRATTON.

SKIRT FORMER.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 29.1903.

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llhirrln ra'rhs Patented November as, 1903.

SADIE STRATTON, OF THREEOAKS, MICHIGAN, ASSIGNOR OF TWO-TI-IIRDS TOGEORGE A. KNIGHT AND W. W. SWARTS, OF BALBEG, INDIANA.

SKIRT-FORMER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 744,882, dated November24, 1903.

Application filed April 29, 1903.

To ctZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, SADIE STRATTON, a citizen of the United States,residing at Threeoaks, in the county of Berrien and State of Michigan,have invented a new and useful Skirt-Former,of which the followingis aspecification.

This invention relates to certain improvements in devices for holdingladies skirts in proper form and position, especially against the actionof the wind, and is designed to be worn beneath light or heavy skirts inorder to keep the front in proper shape.

A further object of the invention is to provide a device of thischaracter which may be Worn practically as a separate garment and overwhich any skirt may be fitted when desired.

With these and other objects in view the invention consists in thenovelconstruction and arrangement of parts hereinafter described,illustrated in the accompanying drawings, and particularly pointed outin the appended claims, it being understood that various changes in theform, proportions, size, and minor details of the structure may be madewithout departing from the spirit or sacrificing any of the advantagesof the invention.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective View showing theskirt holder or former in position. Fig. 2 is a detail view of the samelooking through the inner face as showing the arrangement of thestrengthening and reinforcing or stiffening ribs.

Similar numerals of reference are employed to indicate correspondingparts throughout both figures of the drawings.

The device forming the subject of the present invention is designed tobe worn beneath the front of a skirt in order to hold the same in propershape, and especially to resist the action of the wind, it beingdesigned to hold the skirt-front from creasing.

The device comprises a lattice-like framework formed of crossing ribs orstrips 1, of metal, whalebone, featherbone, or like material, arrangeddiagonally and united to each other at intersecting points. The oppositeedges of the former are arranged on divergent lines from the waist down,and at the lower end is a binding 4, formed of any suit- Serial No.154.869. (No model.

able material, a similar binding being continued around the oppositeedges of the former up to the waist-line, where they are united to asuitable waistband 5. At intermediate points between the opposite edgebindings are reinforced strips 8 8, constituting substantially verticalribs, which are also attached to the diagonally-disposed ribs orstiffening members 1. The skeleton struc' 6o tnre formed by the ribs iscovered with a light cloth, as indicated at 10, and the several ribs orstiffening members are united thereto throughout their entire length,while the intermediate stiffening-bars 8 and 8, before referred to, maybe formed by seams uniting a sectional covering material.

The strengthening-ribs or stiffening members are preferably arranged intwo crossing sets, one of which extends from one edge of the former tothe intermediate rib 8, while the second extends from the opposite edgeof the former to the second rib 8, so that at the central portion thestructure will be sufficiently rigid to prevent creasing of the skirt,while the spaced disconnected projecting ends of the strengthening andstiffening ribs will permit the wearer to assume a sitting po sitionwithout inconvenience and without disarranging the skirt or the formerIn practice the waistband is tied or otherwise secured around the waistof the wearer, and after the skirt has been put on its lower edge isconnected to the opposite edges of the lower portion of the former,suitable tabs 15 being provided for the purpose and through whichsafety-pins or other securing devices may be passed.

The device constitutes in itself a complete article of manufacture,which may be made of various sizes and worn with skirts of anycharacter, being of especial value when skirts of very light materialare worn.

In practice it is preferred to place the top row of strengthening orstiffening ribs some 5 distance below the waistband in order to bringthe same below the lower edge of the corset.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed is- 1. A skirtformer or holder having a plutoo rality of stiffening-ribs arranged incrossed lines, a waistband secured to said skirt-former at a point abovethe terminal portions of the stiffenin -ribs, and means for securing thelower portion of the former to the skirt.

2. A skirt former or holder including a waistband, a flexible portionconnected to the waistband, and a plurality of intersectingstiffening-ribs secured to said flexible portion at a point somedistance below the waistband.

3. A skirt former or holder comprising a plurality of flexible members,intersecting strengthening and stiffening ribs extending across thecentral portion between the inner flexible members, said ribs beingcontinued out in parallel lines to the outer strengthening-strips tothereby form side or edge portions less rigid than the intermediateportion,

} and means for securing said former or holder in place.

4. A skirt former or holder comprising a flexible covering formed of aplurality of connected sections united by substantially vertical seamsof which said seams form strengthening members, a binding extendingaround the side and the lower edges of the covering, a Waistband securedto the top of the covering, a plurality of sets of stiffening orstrengthening ribs extending from the respective seams to the oppositeedge bindings and'crossing each other between the seam-lines, theuppermost strips being at a point below the waistband, and securing-tabsdisposed at the opposite lower edges of said former, to thereby providea skirt-attaching means, substantially as specified.

In testimony that I claim the" foregoing as my own I have hereto affixedmy signature in the presence of two witnesses.

SADIE STRATTON.

Witnesses:

EMMETT F. BEDDING, 'WILLIAM K. SAWYER.

